Fresh off Australian Cup success last weekend, Ciaron Maher will chase another 2000-metre feature this weekend at Caulfield.
Like the Australian Cup, which Maher won with Light Infantry Man, Victoria’s leading trainer will have multiple runners in the Group 3 Easter Cup.
Future History and Night Endeavour are certain starters, while Normandy Bridge and Port Philip are also nominated for the $200,000 event.
Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said the original plan was for Future History to run in the Australian Cup, but sights were lowered after a seventh placing in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) and Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) fifth to start the campaign.
“Initially the Australian Cup was his plan, but we just thought last start he really didn’t do enough to warrant going there, especially given what was going to go there,” Turnbull said.
“He can run there and then go to the Mornington Cup if we want to go to 2400, otherwise we can head up to Sydney and run through there.”
Imported gelding Night Endeavor will be having his first start since disappointing when fancied at Sandown on February 1, but Turnbull said the stable had been buoyed by a 1400m jumpout second placing at Cranbourne on March 17.
“He’s coming back off a freshen, he was never out of work, but he went to Ballarat and had a change of scenery where he was on a grass paddock but still ticking over,” Turnbull said.
“He’s had a nice little jumpout and a couple of gallops, so he’ll head to the Easter Cup.”
Maher’s team are among 25 Easter Cup nominations with three-year-old filly Cilacap among other entries.
The Easter Cup is one of two $200,000 Group 3 features on the Caulfield card, accompanied by the 1400m Victoria Handicap, for which former Caulfield Guineas winner Golden Mile is entered, alongside Chorlton Lane, Jennilala, Miss Aria, Regal Zeus, Roll On High and Superazi.
